Dr. Phibes Rises Again

1972

Action / Comedy / Horror

Synopsis

The moon rises at a predestined angle and awakens the sleeping Dr. Phibes three years later. To his dismay, he finds his house has been demolished and his papyrus scrolls stolen, the scrolls he needs to find the Pharoah's Tomb in Egypt, where the River of Life flows. After identifying the source of the papyrus theft, he packs and leaves for Egypt with his assistant Vulnavia, still intent upon awakening his dead wife Victoria. The parties responsible for the theft of Phibes' scrolls suffer an attrition problem as Inspector Trout chases him across the world.

The moon rises at a predestined angle and awakens the sleeping Dr. Phibes three years later. To his dismay, he finds his house has been demolished and his papyrus scrolls stolen, the scrolls he needs to find the Pharoah's Tomb in Egypt, where the River of Life flows. After identifying the source of the papyrus theft, he packs and leaves for Egypt with his assistant Vulnavia, still intent upon awakening his dead wife Victoria. The parties responsible for the theft of Phibes' scrolls suffer an attrition problem as Inspector Trout chases him across the world.

Tech specs

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by GL847 / 10

Solid follow-up to a classic

Three years after his last rampage, Dr. Anton Phibes is resurrected and seeks a map to Egypt that will give his wife life again, and discovering the truth about the mystical map alerts an old group of nemesis of his resurrection who race to Egypt to stop the madman's plans.

It isn't the out-and-out classic the first one was, but this is still a great film regardless. Just as in the first one, one of the finest points is the overall feeling present as this is still a nice, campy ride. Seeing Price return to the role is a great deal of fun and the amount of screen time the film gives him causes that. We have a lot of great moments that just prove to be a collection of camp strung together because Phibes is now out and about in the world where his threat is greater. No longer stuck basing the deaths off the ten plagues of Ancient Egypt, he can let his imagination run wild, and this lets in some pretty ingenious set-pieces as he is now no longer bound by the confines of London anymore to spread his vision. That this is a road movie allows for greater and more elaborate deaths, which is a great advantage as instead of guessing when Phibes would attack here it's a where and with what, and that gives the film a little extra suspense. The film also has a great sense of set-design, and there are some wonderful sets here. The initial Egyptian design is one of the best, and it looks suitably forgotten in the ruins, and the final location sets are just simply breath-taking to behold. It certainly ends the film on a positive note that few other films in this particular style don't often do. This also goes along with the rather strong finale, where the action is quite fun and thrilling within the catacombs of the pyramid and really lets us side with him during this section of the film when it's needed the most. These here really hold it up as there isn't much really much wrong here. The biggest issue here is that the opening flashback to the original wasn't one of the best ways of getting a movie started. It spoils too much of the first film and didn't really do much to bring new information to light. The narrator was the final straw for the scene as it just completely ruined the mood of the scene. It's one of the few times that a film opens on a downward note. Just as in the first one, the fact that Phibes still talks with the voice-box is a disappointment. Even though it doesn't make sense to change it as it wouldn't really fit well with the movie, the fact that it's still here is a hurdle to overcome for Price fans. There is also something different in the campiness in this one over the first one that doesn't make it as fun. It's an indefinable quality, but it is there. It's still a fun, campy movie, but not like the first one.

Today's Rating/PG-13: Violence.

Reviewed by tomgillespie20026 / 10

Doesn't offer quite the same opportunities for inventive set-pieces as the first

At the end of the first film, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), the titular genius laid himself to rest in suspended animation after laying his vengeance upon the ones he blamed for the death of his wife, Victoria. Three years later, when the moon aligns itself with the planets in a way not seen for a thousand years, Phibes (Vincent Price) rises again, and this time he is in search of the elusive River of Life, which promises resurrection for Victoria and immortality for the two of them. Discovering that a sacred scroll containing the map to the River of Life has been stolen by the equally demented Darrus Biederbeck (Robert Quarry), Phibes, along with his beautiful assistant Vulnavia (Valli Kemp), heads to Egypt where the tomb is hidden, murdering anyone who dares stand in his way.

With director Robert Fuest returning for the sequel, there's a real sense of continuity to the film, especially when a few actors - their characters slain in the first - occasionally pop up as for cameos that play out like small comic vignettes. Yet while, plot- wise, the first film was a relatively straight-forward albeit utterly bonkers tale of revenge, Rises Again is almost like a heist film, as two rival men, both mad geniuses (with one clearly madder than the other), scrap it out to uncover the most rewarding of prizes. The change of approach is certainly commendable, but it also means there's less fun to be had. Watching Price gleefully butcher a group of hapless doctors in a variety of inventive and preposterous ways in the first instalment was an absolute delight, but Phibes's battle-of-wits with his nemesis here doesn't offer quite the same amount of opportunities for inventive set-pieces.

Anyone searching for a bit of tongue-in-cheek horror will certainly get a bit of relief though, as Biederback's team find themselves the poor saps to be routinely offed, this time inspired by Egyptian mythology such a scorpions and a hawk. Sadly, there just isn't quite enough of it. With the blood-letting turned down, Rises Again increases the insanity factors. Sets adorned with psychedelic decoration and Phibes's numerous outrageous costumes means the film is also beautiful to look at. Price looks he is genuinely having a ball and no matter how sadistic his character gets as he demolishes anyone who crosses his path, you'll be rooting for him all the way. At the end, it feels like the story of Dr. Phibes is not quite finished, with American International Pictures' planned sequel unfortunately never coming to fruition.

Reviewed by Rainey Dawn8 / 10

Good Follow-up Flick

Dr. Phibes is back after 3 years of being in a state of suspended animation. He awakens from his 3 year slumber to find his home has been wrecked and the papyrus that contained the information he needed to bring his dead wife back to life has been stolen. Needless to say, Dr. Phibes is out for revenge once again. Those that have ruined his chances to resurrect his wife will be destroyed in a cleaver way that only Dr. Phibes can dream up.

Good follow-up flick. Almost as good as the first film. Like the first film, the sets and costuming are elaborate, the deaths are bizarre, the humor is quirky and Vincent Price is great.

Worth watching... it's best if you watch the first film The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) then watch "Rises Again" but it's not necessary.